Retired Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu has finally been arrested in Soroti City following days of a security manhunt that attracted national attention. The former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces was apprehended on Monday evening, November 2, 2026, with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces confirming that he would be charged and prosecuted in court over alleged subversive activities.
Although the army has confirmed the arrest, the exact circumstances surrounding how security operatives located and captured Elwelu remain unclear. UPDF Acting Director of Defence Public Information Col Chris Magezi announced that security forces had arrested the retired general in Soroti City but did not explain whether he was picked up at a hideout, along a road or at a private residence.
The arrest followed weeks of tension after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly accused Elwelu of involvement in activities allegedly aimed at destabilising the Teso sub-region. The army chief had also called on the former senior officer to surrender, while announcing arrests of people he claimed were connected to the retired general.
Reports indicate that security agencies had been searching for Elwelu as operations intensified in eastern Uganda. A relative previously told Daily Monitor that the former general had noticed unknown individuals tracking his movements and had withdrawn from community activities for fear of his safety.
He reportedly avoided some of the security guards assigned to him and went into hiding.The manhunt also involved arrests of people believed to have been close to the retired officer. Gen Muhoozi previously announced that Elwelu’s driver had been arrested and that a vehicle the former army commander had been using was seized.
He also claimed that security forces had recovered weapons and ammunition from different locations.Following the arrest, Col Magezi said security forces had recently recovered 15 guns, military fatigues and two pickup trucks allegedly linked to Elwelu. However, the army has not publicly provided full details about where the items were recovered or explained the specific circumstances that led security operatives to the retired general in Soroti.
Elwelu’s family had earlier disputed allegations that he was organising an armed rebellion. His wife, Patricia Apolot, previously defended him against the accusations and questioned claims surrounding the alleged recovery of weapons from their home. The allegations against the retired general have not yet been tested in court.
According to Daily Monitor, military sources indicated that Elwelu was being held at a secure facility as investigations continued ahead of his expected appearance before the General Court Martial. The arrest marks a major development in the unfolding dispute involving the former deputy army chief, although the public is still waiting for the army to explain exactly how the security operation that ended his period on the run was carried out.
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